A Little Bit of Happiness
by Black Illusions
Summary: Katara is captured and sent back to Ba Sing Sei, only to be taken into the custody of the man she hates the most. She finds that beneath the rough exterior lies a boy looking for a little bit of happiness. Constructive criticism please. Zutara.
1. I Isaiah 40:31

_**Sukoshi no Shiawase **_

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Avatar: The Last Airbender characters._

_So...this is Zatura fanfiction all the way, but I hope I'm displaying the two characters all right. Well, their argument sounds like one they'd have at some point in the show, but oh well. The song she sings is completely made up, too. It'll pop up a lot in the story. There's a biblical reference near the end, and I figured you might get that if you read the chapter title. Ha. Well, it pertains to the story a bit, so I used it. It's also one of my favorite verses. The title, by the way, should mean "A little bit of happiness" in Japanese. If I wrote it wrong, please tell me! My Japanese isn't very good, since I just started...sigh_

_Flame me and you die a thousand deaths. Just constructive criticism alright? Thanks._

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**I. Isaiah 40:31  
" ...but for those who hope...will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."**

Katara was beautiful. And gifted. And strong. She was everything she believed she should and had to be. She was pure in every way imaginable; she had not even had her first kiss. And that was how she thought it should be. But hidden within her were tears she would not shed in the face of anyone or anything; hidden in the corners of her sapphire blue eyes were hidden tears, as pure as she. And so she was strong. She must remain so, for her brother, and for Aang. She would _not_ be _weak_. She could not be weak. In the face of Ty Lee, with her bending useless and her body weak, she would not cave into the maddening fear raging in her heart. Even now, as she sat in the room of the one man she hated the most, she would not show fear or weakness of any kind, for that is exactly what he wanted.

But the way he held his hand out to her when he came to retrieve her from her prison cell was almost...gentle. He stood in the doorframe, light beginning to trickle in from behind him, holding out his hand for her to take in his, the most sorrowful of looks painted on his handsome, but marred, face. His lips formed soft words, words she wanted to hear but dreaded.

"Come with me."

And she wanted to hear him say more, but she hated him and everything he represented to her. Katara hated that he was one of the most attractive men she'd ever met, with a hidden charm beneath a hard exterior, and yet he was her enemy. Her _enemy_. She could not fall for her enemy. She could not ever love her enemy. And so she fought against it.

"I cannot."

His face twisted in pain almost, like a hurt that was unexplainable and inexpressible. He wanted her to just take his hand and take her away to...wherever it was he was going to take her. But she wouldn't give in that easily to him. Oh, no. Katara was strong; she would fight back against this man she loathed so much.

"Please. Just take my hand and away we go. Do you wish to stay here forever?"

"Here isn't the problem," she replied.

"If here isn't the problem, then come with me." He was so _insistent_.

"Here isn't the problem. It's you. You're the problem."

And that twisted face grew worse, the pain deepening to something Katara could not name. She wanted to take his hand; she wanted him to say that things would be okay and that he would save her. And yet, she knew it was not to be, for he was Fire Nation, and she was Water Tribe, and they would never be. With magnets, opposites attracted, but in reality, was not so the case.

But she could not say why, nor could she say no forever to this insistent man. Instead she hesitantly took his hand and was pulled to her feet, feeling his body heat radiate off of him. She liked it, for it was cold in the hard and empty cell, and she wondered if he was doing it on purpose. He smelled nice, like spicy cinnamon, she thought. Was he thinking the same thing? His face was unreadable, but then, it always had been. A few small words she never thought she'd hear him say were said.

"Thank you."

And suddenly, Katara nearly forgot everything that had happened here in Ba Sing Sei. But she could not simply forget! No! She could not! Not after what he did. Not after she offered to heal him, to give him a chance, and he threw it back in her face. It would take more than just rescuing her from a dungeon to win any of that back. It would have been delightful to say that he was releasing her, or taking her to some place that she could escape. We would be able to breathe such a sigh of relief, you and I, my dear reader. But then, no story would be told, and you would have no point in reading this now would you?

And so Katara now sat in the room of Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation, half-afraid of what was in store for her. Would he torture her until she told him where Aang was? Would he rape her? The possibilities were endless, but Katara ruled rape out. Zuko wasn't that horrible...was he? No, the prince may be Fire Nation, but he wasn't that low. She held her breath as the young boy entered the room stiffly, looking tired and worn down. He was not standing tall, as Katara was accustomed to seeing him. Instead, he slumped slightly forward as though a heavy weight was put on his shoulders. He wore the earthen green robes she had last seen him in, and his dark hair stuck out in odd ends.

The young prince seemed to completely go around Katara, as though she was not there. After a few minutes, the Waterbender cleared her throat to catch his attention, and she wondered, "Why do I want his attention? I could just sit here without him noticing me and that would be perfectly fine with me!"

As if startled, Zuko turned to face Katara, forgetting for the briefest of moments that he himself had fetched her from the dungeon. He rubbed his head, feeling more than somewhat awkward and unsure of what to do. He hadn't thought it out very far, as was slowly becoming apparent. He let out a sigh and tapped his chin in a most thoughtful manner before moving over to a dresser and opening it. He pulled out a plain dress of the same green color and held it out to Katara in an expectant way. When she failed to understand, or rather, failed to move or make any notion that she was going to do as he expected, Zuko cleared his throat the same way she had.

"And what is it that you expect me to do, Zuko?" Katara asked in a coldly polite way. She would make his life as miserable as possible if it would help her forget him.

Zuko, of course, could be just as polite, for he had learned in courts after all. "I would like you to put on this dress. It would allow you to roam the palace as you like, though you would not be able to leave without my assistance," he said simply. "And if you wear it, it signifies you are under _my _protection."

"And where should I get dressed?"

"Here."

"You are dreadfully ignorant."

"No, I am not," Zuko replied indignantly.

"Then where am I to dress?" Katara asked again. "I can't simply let you see me when I'm dressing."

"Then I shall leave the room for a few minutes."

And with that, the prince was gone and Katara was capable of getting dressed without worry of being seen. It was just a simple gown, nothing fancy or intricate about it at all. And that was fine by her; she was not one for heavy dresses or any of those sorts. She liked the freedom and mobility she possessed in a simple dress. The colors were not exactly to her liking, but if it kept her safe for now, then so be it. And it seemed Zuko had such interesting timing, for when she finished dressing, he returned with a plate of food and a cup of a drink, presumably for her. He set them down in front of her and retreated to his bed, sitting with his back to her, just as he had in old Ba Sing Sei.

Katara ate and drank, her icy eyes on the prince's back. He did not move and she almost thought she could hear another sound coming from him. But she wiped it away as nonsense, since she believed Zuko was not capable of emotions at all anymore. All he had said in old Ba Sing Sei she no longer believed, for shortly after he had betrayed her.

"What do you want with me?" she asked Zuko. "Why did you rescue me from the dungeon? I would have been fine on my own. I didn't need, nor did I want your help! I hate you, Zuko! I thought you had changed. But I was wrong, wasn't I? I mean nothing to you."

Zuko failed to answer and Katara bent the liquid in the cup into a whip and hit Zuko with it in the back of the head. It was only a small amount, enough to sting, but certainly not enough to do any real damage! The Fire Nation prince did nothing to stop it at all, allowing the liquid to splash on him and drench him. When Katara had her fun, when she was finished abusing him with the little liquid in her cup, she sighed and turned away, retreating to the small couch where a blanket awaited her. She pulled it over her head and hid in it, not wanting to face the fact that she was a prisoner, stuck in a room with the one man she hated the most. Zuko stood from his bed, walking to where Katara lay hidden. He knelt in front of her, so that he would be level with her, should she reveal her face from the blankets.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. He wasn't sure what to say anymore. She didn't deserve this, and he knew that. "I'm sorry. You don't deserve to go through all of this. I can't ask you to forgive me. All I can do is give you the best I can. I'm sorry."

When she did not move or make a sound, Zuko tried one last time. "You are worth much more than I am. I don't want you to get hurt."

From under the blankets came Katara's reply. "Are you sincere?"

"I am."

Katara peeked out from her hiding place under the blanket and sat up, wrapping it around her instead. "Then I suppose I can trust you a little. I would think it was sweet of you, but you are Zuko, after all."

Zuko sat down, turning away. "What is that supposed to mean?"

The young Waterbender looked at the sulking Zuko. She would think he was handsome, scar and all, but what kept her from doing so was the idea that he was the enemy. And she most certainly could not love the enemy! What was Sokka to say should she fall in love with Zuko? And of course there was Aang. Certainly she still liked him. Her crush had all but dissipated.

"It means nothing," she replied to his question. Katara slid to the floor next to Zuko. If she could be nice to him, maybe he would be so kind as to let her out? Or maybe be a gentleman and escort her. "Zuko...if I may call you that—"

"It's fine so long as you're alone with me like this."

"—yes, of course—why did you...I mean, why betray even your own uncle? I mean...just a few weeks ago."

Zuko suddenly heated up in rage. "Listen, I did not wish to betray Uncle. I don't know what else I could have done! What was I supposed to do? I just want to go home now. And I have my chance," he said. "And why should it matter to you?"

"Why?" Katara asked, her temper rising like his. "Because I tried to help you and you threw it back in my face, Zuko! And your uncle as well! I wanted to help you! I wanted to heal your scar—"

"Stop it! Shut up! You do not know what it is you're talking about," Zuko shouted at her, beginning to rise from his spot on the floor. Katara grabbed his hand quickly. To her, even his company, the company of the enemy, was better than no company at all.

"I'm sorry. Please...don't leave me here alone again."

Zuko groaned and sat back down. He looked away from her. "For most of my life I've been running. I want to stop. I'm tired of it. Sometimes...I even forget what it is I'm fighting for."

Katara looked at his hand for the briefest of moments before taking it in hers and stroking his palm gently with her fingertips. "Then stop running."

"I wish it were that simple."

"If you keep hoping, then you will learn to run and not grow so weary, Zuko," Katara whispered softly.

"I wish it were that simple."


	2. II Music Box Memories

Sukoshi no Shiawase 

_Disclaimer__: I do not own any of the Avatar: the Last Airbender characters._

_Ah, so here is chapter 2! So domo arigotou gozaimasu for the reviews. I sincerely hope you are enjoying this as much as I am. School's ending which means I'll have more time to write. I've been writing too many papers for the past few days and it's been hectic! TTwTT But yeah...so sorry if there are typos in the story. I'm a bit of an idiot sometimes, and Microsoft Word is an even bigger idiot, but you know how that goes. I'm trying to work on my art too...gah! So much work! Anyway, read and review please. I hope the characters aren't too OOC. That would be bad. ha ha..._

_Flame me and you die a thousand deaths._

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**II. Music Box Memories (Good Night)  
**"**There are many things that we would throw away if we were not afraid that others might pick them up."  
-****Oscar Wilde**

Zuko lay in bed, gazing up at the vaulted ceiling of his room. He had allowed Katara to sleep on the sofa-couch until a new room was made for her. But the girl mumbled in her sleep. She mumbled in a scared, frightened voice, small and timid. She begged someone not to go, and he begged her silently to just shut up so he could go to sleep. But she wasn't getting his telepathic messages, and Zuko was torn on whether he should awaken her or just leave her be. He decided to let it alone. Tired in several ways, the Fire Nation prince rolled over with his back to the girl and closed his eyes, trying to catch as much sleep as he could. That was, until she let out a frightened gasp and sat up. Zuko jumped out of bed due to reflexes, ready for anything, only to realize that the girl on the sofa-couch was the one gasping and choking on soft sobs. He quickly went over to her.

"What? What's the matter?" he asked, kneeling beside her. One of Katara's hands was over her eye, while the other one clutched the blanket to her. He hair fell in a long braid over her shoulder, and she continued sobbing and gasping. "Aang...Aang..."

Zuko's heart leapt into his throat and then fell to the pit of his stomach as Katara whispered the Airbender's name with soft cries. The young man wiped Katara's tears. He could vaguely see her face by the pale moonlight dripping in through the small windows, and it shattered so many things. Her face was fearful, and so full of sadness that it threatened to drown the poor girl. She was in a moment of weakness, and Zuko had no idea as to what to do. "Shhh...the Ava—I mean, Aang, isn't here now. Hush, be quiet..." _What the hell should I do?_ Zuko's head circled for an answer. Should he hug her? He had no clue what to do. "What's wrong?" he asked her softly and in a slightly awkward tone.

Between gasps, Katara spoke softly. "I dreamed that...I dreamed that Aang died...and then Sokka died...and then...and even you died," she gasped softly. "I was so alone. Zuko, please don't die and leave me alone."

She groped around and found his shoulder, laying her head on it. Zuko awkwardly patted her back, his hands stroking her soft hair. "Um...I...we all die eventually," he said, trying to consolidate her. The Waterbender closed her eyes, gripping his robe tightly. Her sobs did not quiet themselves.

"I know..."

"Then what's the matter? You don't want to be alone?"

Katara pulled her knees up to her chest and leaned her head on her arms. "No...I don't want to be alone. They're like my family. And you...even you...even as my enemy..." she glanced at him and turned away, feeling as though she would drown in his eyes. "I just..."

"What?" he asked, hoping she would finish the sentence. It stung him to know that she still thought of him as her enemy; that was not the goal at all, he thought. He leaned over, hoping to see her face.

Katara kept her eyes averted from his. Zuko sighed and stood up reluctantly. "Try and get some sleep, okay? You'll be fine..." he mumbled. He stopped to gaze at her and held out his hand to her, just as he did before. "If you want, you can sleep with me," he mumbled finally. "I mean, so you won't feel like you're alone." His cheeks turned slightly red, but it was impossible to tell in the pale light. Katara looked at his hand, remembering the dungeon. He had asked her to trust him. Did she trust him? Not really, not completely. But...she could not refuse him. She could not refuse her prince.

Katara took his hand and allowed the prince to pull her to her feet. She felt his grip tighten slightly to a comforting feeling, and she smiled in spite of herself. Zuko led her to his bed on the other side of the room. It was a simple bed, nothing fancy about it. It was in the corner, which was what made the room seem so large. The two stood by its side awkwardly for a moment before Zuko moved the covers aside and gestured for Katara to move onto the bed. She did so and pulled the blankets over her, before shifting slightly as Zuko crawled over her and plopped down in a tired manner beside her, his face to the wall. She leaned in close to him to see if he was already sleeping.

"Zuko?" she whispered.

"Hn."

Katara laid down beside him, snuggled up close to his back, and closed her eyes. She soon felt the weight of sleep on her, yet Zuko did not. He felt her turn in the bed and sat up on his elbow, watching her. _She has such bad sleeping posture_, he thought to himself. He moved closer to pull her under the blanket and tuck her in. As he finished, her arm fell over his chest, and she mumbled again in that same sad voice. Her hand gripped his shirt tightly, and Zuko was glad he was wearing one. He lay down beside her again and gazed at her face. _She's_ so beautiful, he thought despite himself. And even after all he had done to her, after he betrayed her, she was not treating him like a monster. Well, beside the fact that she had tried pummeling him with her drink, but that was well deserved.

He touched his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. "Thank you," he mumbled softly. "No one…no one has treated me as kind as the way you have today."

"Mmmmm…you're welcome," she mumbled softly.

Zuko's cheeks flushed red and he closed his eyes. "Good night!" he said, embarrassed. Katara only giggled slightly and went back to sleep. And, in spite of himself, Zuko smiled too.

Katara awoke to find Zuko holding her close in his arms. He was still fast a sleep, but had a slight bruise on his cheek. It wasn't noticeable unless one was looking for it, or was as close as she was to him. His eyes slowly opened as she was touching the bruise gingerly. She looked up at him, and it surprised him that she seemed slightly worried.

"Did…did I do this to you?" she asked carefully. He pushed her hand away and shrugged in an indifferent way. He sat up and stretched his arms, attempting to stifle a yawn and failing, sounding like he was choking on something.

Without thinking, he began undressing, and Katara's cheeks flushed scarlet. For a moment, she froze as he pulled his shirt over his head, revealing a body that screamed the word 'manly' at her. She noticed a few scars here and there, and then some on his arms as well. And then there were fresh cuts. Thin cuts, like a blade. Regaining mental consciousness, Katara cleared her throat.

"Umm…" she mumbled. "Z-Zuko, I'm still…"

Zuko looked at her, and then embarrassment rose to his face quickly, realizing how ridiculously ignorant that was of him. "Oh…s-sorry…" he said, turning away. Katara stood up and rushed outside of the door to allow the prince some time to finish getting dressed.

Zuko let out a sigh as the door clicked shut. Quietly, so she wouldn't hear, so no one would hear, he wandered over to his desk, pulling out a small dagger. Grimacing, he ran it across his stomach, where no one would see it. Just one more…he thought to himself as he made another small slice across his forearm. It was the only place he knew no one would see. He pulled a fresh shirt over his head, still slightly flustered from the brief moment that Katara had almost seen him near naked-ness. He called to her when he was finished, hiding his new cuts. "I have to go into town today. Would you like to come?" he asked her, averting his eyes from hers.

Katara knew he was hiding something. She knew by the way he hid his eyes; Sokka did the same thing when he was keeping things from her. Zuko was no different. It made her laugh how similar this Fire Nation prince and her Water Tribe warrior were so similar; both were highly stubborn with strong heads. And they both made her feel as though nothing could touch her. Yes, even this boy—no, Zuko was no longer a boy, he had grown to be a man—whom she had considered an enemy for so long….she stopped at that thought. She had considered. Her thoughts had used the past tense, meaning…did she still think of Zuko as an enemy? She couldn't now.

A slight cough and an attention seeking 'ahem' interrupted the Waterbender's thoughts. "Oh, sorry," she said quickly. "I would love to go to town with you," she said. Realizing how odd that sounded (at least in her mind), she made a miserable attempt at saving it. "That is to say, I mean…ugh, never mind."

Zuko chuckled in a thoughtful manner and turned away. Katara glanced at him and touched his arm lightly; it was soothing touch that seemed to wipe away the boy's troubles. "Zuko, did you just smile?" she asked incredulously.

Zuko, ever the bashful person, began walking out the door. "I'll go get us some breakfast."

"You did just smile at me! I saw it," Katara exclaimed in an overly joyous tone that made Zuko wish that this single moment could last a lifetime, just to hear the happiness in her voice.

"Well, if it makes you that incredibly happy, I suppose I should smile much more often," he said. But his handsome features remained flat as he walked out the door, to return moments later with the same look and a tray of food for both of them. He set the food on the table and lowered himself gingerly onto the cushion, trying to avoid making it look too obvious. He gestured for her to sit beside him. The two ate in silence, and it felt so awkward. Slowly, Katara's hand slid over Zuko's, her gentle, smooth fingertips brushing against his rough palm. He glanced down at her, gave a small unsure smile, and intertwined his fingers with hers. Katara couldn't help but smile at that.

"Is there something on your mind, Zuko?" she asked softly. The boy could hear the concern in her voice as she continued, "You seem so…lost. Like you're so far off."

"Why would it matter to you if I was so far off?" he asked stiffly. He couldn't help but remember what he had done to her, why should she care about him? He had betrayed her, taken all the love she had shown to him and threw it back at her as if to say, "I don't want it and I don't need it." Yet, Zuko knew he needed it. What was more, he wanted it.

Katara's eyes only softened more and she leaned on his arm. He refrained himself from letting out a noise of pain and dealt with it, inhaling deeply instead, and concentrated on her answer. "Because I want you here with me…" she said softly. "So I'm not so alone in this place that I don't know, and you're not so alone in your isolated little place."

He felt her hand tighten slightly around his, as if that would keep him there, attached to her. He stood up, still holding her hand, almost desperately clinging to it. Pulling her to her feet in a strong pull, he dug through a drawer and found a soft jacket for her to wear over her dress. "Here," he said, handing it to her. "I don't want you to get sick."

The two teenagers slipped out of the palace without too much attention and entered the busy street life. Though it was early in the day, markets were setting up shop for business, store owners were cleaning up and getting ready for the customers that were already walking around to beat the traffic. Zuko stopped at an intersection and beckoned to Katara. "Here," he said, handing the girl a list. "Could you get that stuff for me? I have to go find something else on the other side of the market."

_So that's why he asked. I should have figured…_Katara thought, but she shrugged and took the list, scanning it quickly before nodding and disappearing into the morning markets. Watching the girl until she vanished from his sight, Zuko turned and began walking in the opposite direction. Reality was, he just wanted to be alone. He let out a gentle sigh as he walked down the busy streets. For such an early morning, the people were wide-awake and active. A soft tune caught his ear and he turned around, trying to find the source. It was a soft melody, like a lullaby almost, yet it nearly expressed something…if it had words. The prince found the source to be a small music box sitting on top of a table of wares.

"Do you like the music box?" a woman asked him kindly. She was relatively young, or she looked it at least. Zuko guessed she might be in her late twenties. She picked it up and held it out to him to see. "My husband gave it to me when I was having nightmares. Our son had made it before he went off to war, asking my husband to keep him in his memories whenever this was played."

Zuko nodded. "I see. It's a very nice music box," he said softly. "I can see why you love it so much. It must be very dear to you."

The woman asked. "It is very dear to me. But…with the death of my son and my husband in the war…I'm afraid it holds far too many memories for me," she said sadly. She held it out to him. "Would you like to buy it, dear?"

This surprised Zuko greatly. This woman's most valued treasure was this single music box, yet she was offering it to him. "I…I couldn't, miss. It's yours. And besides…memories are all you have of your family," he said quickly.

"I know dear, but I don't need this to remember my husband or my son. They are with me in my heart and I know I will someday see them once more," she said. "You can give it to a woman having nightmares, the way my husband gave it to me."

Zuko sighed, holding the small treasure in his hands. The woman merely smiled a sad smile at him as he decided to buy it. He pulled his small money pouch out and paid the woman. She smiled warmly in thanks. Zuko looked down at the music box before gazing up at the woman. "Um…thank you…I don't even know your name, Miss," he mumbled almost incoherently. The woman chuckled quietly.

"My name is Karina," she said. "Please, do come back again. I enjoyed our conversation, my dear."

"Thank you, Miss Karina," Zuko replied in a quiet voice. "My name is…Lee. I'll be sure to return here when I have the chance."

"And dear?"

"Yes, Miss Karina?"

"Don't hold up all the pain you seem to have bottled inside you."

"Thank you, Miss Karina."

Zuko was in a better mood when he found Katara. The girl held a small basket filled with the items he had asked her to get and she was humming lightly as she bent some water on the ground. He hid the small music box, not wanting to show it to the younger girl just yet. Katara stood up straight and waved at him with a smile on her face.

Zuko realized he never wanted this to end.

"What are you so happy about?" Katara asked him playfully, noting the slight smile on his lips.

Zuko shook his head. "It's nothing. Come on, let's get back to the palace," he said swiftly. He began walking down the cobbled streets, not noticing as the waterbending girl fell further behind as she got caught in the crowds. After a few minutes, he turned to speak to her, only to find the young girl buying a batch of baked potatoes from a kiosk. In a most irritated fashion, the teenage prince stomped over to her. "What are you doing?"

"You're such a fast walker," Katara complained. She held out a potato in a napkin for him. "Want a potato?"

Zuko sighed and took it. "Thank you," he said. He turned so she was at his side and held out his arm. "Here, take my sleeve….ugh…this is so embarrassing."

Katara took the hem of Zuko's sleeve and the two continued to walk down the street to the palace gates. Upon reaching them, she let go of the cloth and the young prince felt a slight emptiness. The two walked in silence until they reached his room. He noted the new door on the side of his wall, raised by the Dai Li and their bending skills. "I think your room is ready. It connects to my room with this door so you can come and go as you please," he said quietly. He sat down on the sofa that had been Katara's bed and closed his eyes, leaning his head back.

Katara moved behind him and touched his shoulders, not wanting to leave just yet. "Zuko…?" she asked softly. _He's so tense,_she noted. Gently, she began to rub his shoulders hoping to make him feel better, humming a quiet tune in his ear. He let out a soft noise that told her he was enjoying the moment, and Katara found she was enjoying it too. He opened his amber eyes and gazed up, meeting sapphire blue pools that threatened to drown him, should he gaze at them too long. He took her hand and gently led it to the tender skin on his throat. Their lips were inching dangerously close, she noticed, but did nothing about it. Zuko touched her cheek gently and their lips met for a brief moment before they pulled away, realizing the even that had just passed.

_No, this can't be happening!_ Katara's thoughts screamed. _You can't be falling for him! He's the enemy. He's Zuko! Have you completely forgotten what transpired here?_

"I…I'm sorry," Zuko said, standing quickly. His skin tingled where her hand had been. "I…I don't know what…what came…"

Katara stood there silently, fingers to her lips. The boy cautiously approached the girl and took her hand, placing in it the small music box. "H-Here. I bought it for you. It plays a song that you can listen to when you're going to sleep," he said softly. Letting go of her hand he turned and moved to his bed. He sat down slowly on it and closed his eyes again, fighting several urges, one of which included locking himself in the bathroom and taking that knife in the drawer an slicing his arms up. But then he thought about that. What if Katara found out about that…? That wouldn't end well. So he resisted.

He suddenly felt the edge of his bed sink in on one side and a potato was stuck in front of him again. "Here. You should eat," Katara's voice said softly. She sat down beside him and leaned her head on his shoulder, feeling his body heat. "There's some bread, too, if you want it."

Zuko couldn't hold back his small smile as he took it. "Thank you," he said quietly. He bit into the spud and chewed slowly, lost in thought. Katara gazed up at him, still clutching the small music box in her hand. She loved it; it was the first gift any man had given her. But how could she say that to him? She smiled in spite of herself, wishing for this moment to last forever. She touched his free hand and shifted so she could look at him.

"Thank you, Zuko," she began. "For the music box. It's a wonderful gift."

"Do you really like it?"

"Yes. And the song inside it," Katara replied, smiling. Zuko never wanted her smile to disappear. She looked so beautiful when she smiled.

"I'm sorry…about earlier. I don't know what came over me," Zuko said softly to her. Katara simply shook her head.

"No, it's my fault," she answered. "I shouldn't have….we were just both in the moment."

"Yeah…"

Katara slid off the bed and onto the cold floor, turning to look at Zuko. "I should get to bed now," she said softly to him. She tapped the treasure in her hand lightly. "And now I have a lullaby to sing me to sleep. Courtesies of my dear prince."

A light blush tinted Zuko's cheeks, and he nodded. The blush deepened when Katara gave him a hug, holding him tightly in her arms and burying her face in his neck. He hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms around her waist and returning the hug. She let go of him and turned to leave, waving good-bye to him as she opened the door to her room. As she was about to leave, Zuko remembered what he wanted to say to her.

"Umm…" he began.

Katara stopped and looked at him questioningly. A small smile formed on his lips.

"Good night."

The Waterbender returned the smile.

"Yes, Zuko. Good night."

_

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_Gah! I'm really sorry about the late update. TTwTT Scratch most of the top note there! I didn't actually finish this chapter until foreeeever after I posted the first chapter. This is a fun story, even though it's so serious. Yes! I made Zuko a little emo, but it's part of the storyline, so please don't eat me! (runs away scared) Thank you for reading! It really means a lot to me. Oh, but I don't have an official length for this entire thing, so I have no clue how long this story will be. I'm trying to work out some stuff about the ending and everything. Oh, and the song that plays in the music box is the tune from "Leave Out All the Rest", by Linkin Park. I have a piano version of it (courtesy of that sounds sooooooo beautiful! And it goes really well with the chapter. I was listening to it the entire way I was writing (all five pages! XD;;; ) I've jabbered enough, so please R&R. Thank you!_


	3. III Experience in Mistakes

_**Sukoshi No Shiawase**_

_Disclaimer__: I don't own any of the Avatar: The Last Airbender characters. If I did, I wouldn't have to put this here, would I?_

_So…it's Fourth of July and I'm writing this. XD;;; I have soooooo much work to do! It's so tiring…Zuko-kun should burn it all for me. XD;;; Anyway…I got to set off a bunch of fireworks that were crazy. Ha. It was awesome, but I almost blew off my hand playing with them. XD;;; Soooo….yeah…but hope everyone had a good Fourth of July:D (For those in the U.S. of course. For everyone else, there's Master Card. :D) Zuko's cuts won't be explained in this chapter, but maybe the next chapter. _

_Note: FIXED!_

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**III. Experience in Mistakes**

"**Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes."**

**-Oscar Wilde **

Katara lay in her bed, listening to the soft tune of her music box. It was quiet, she noted. Despite the fact that she was basically a prisoner, she was enjoying her time with Zuko. He wasn't as bad as she had thought, as she had known him. He revealed a gentle side of himself that he seemed to keep locked away tight and inside. Then again, she hadn't been spending that much time with him lately. He'd been incredibly busy with work; Azula had left him in charge with Ba Sing Sei, having gone and follow Aang. She had left Ty Lee with Zuko, but the acrobatic girl spent most of her time in the throne room, playing with animals and entertaining herself in other ways. Ty Lee hadn't recognized Katara thus far, but it helped that the Waterbender girl cut her hair. She half wondered what Zuko would think of it; she hadn't seen him since she cut her hair.

In the past week and a half, she'd been treated like a guest with Zuko, unless someone of importance came around. Then he was forced to treat her as though she were his maid; yet even then, he didn't treat her badly. She smiled in spite of herself, finding this short time with the Fire Nation prince to be so different, so sweet. And that kiss…that single kiss, even though it lasted only a brief moment, was so…Katara sighed and shoved the thought out of her head. She couldn't possibly fall in love with Zuko. It would be disastrous. Heaven knew what would happen if she did; what would Sokka say? And moreover, what about Aang? She couldn't just forget him. Katara nearly jumped out of her skin when a knock came upon the door connecting her room to Zuko's. She opened the door and was handed a tray of food.

"Here," Zuko said softly. He turned his gaze away from Katara for a moment. "I know you've probably been bored lately…so…if you want, there's a festival in town today. We…we could go."

Katara moved her shoulder length hair away from her eyes. Since it hadn't been braided for a while, it was straight and soft, rather than frizzy as it usually was after she took it out of her usual braid. Zuko noticed it and touched her hair gently, letting the strands slide across his finger like silk. _There was a slight scent of water_, he thought, _and lilies_. He leaned in close to Katara, sniffing slightly.

"Zuko, what are you doing?" she asked, bewildered.

The prince stood up straight and shrugged. "It's nothing," he said quietly. "You didn't answer my question, you know."

Katara looked up at Zuko and smiled. "Of course I want to go! I haven't gotten out of the palace in a while. It's so boring around here…"

"Well, you are a prisoner, need I remind you?" Zuko asked. He turned away again. "I'm sorry I haven't been around for a while. Things have just been hectic. I'd spend more time with you if I could."

The girl giggled slightly and took his hand in hers. "You've been wonderful to me," she said. "I just wanted to say 'thank you'. You've kept me safe, and I'm grateful to you."

"Katara, we can't keep doing this," Zuko said softly, looking away from her. "We can't keep…"

"Zuko?" she asked softly, looking up at him. "You said…you said my name."

Zuko took her head in gently in his hands, gazing in her eyes. "We…can't keep doing this. We can't keep feeling this way. I…" his voice trailed off as their foreheads touched. "No," he said quickly, shaking his head and backing away. "Not now. Come on…we should get to the festival."

Katara's heart nearly stopped beating when he held her that close. She quickly caught up to him and the two walked in silence together. The entire city was in excitement for the festival. He felt her hand touch his and shied away, letting out a soft sigh. Katara looked away and began glancing around at the different stands, trying to find a way to break the silence. Unfortunately, Zuko found a way before she did.

"Would you like to do something in specific? There's games and things you can play," he told her. "I've got money, so don't worry about paying for it…"

"Hey," Katara said, pointing. "Let's play this one! The prizes are so cute!"

She pulled him over to the booth and pointed at the stuffed animal on the shelf. It was a flying lemur that reminded the Waterbender of Momo. She smiled slightly, and Zuko dug through his pocket for his wallet. It was a simple game of rag toss; he had to knock down all the cans with the beanbag. He hefted it in his hand and tested its weight before taking careful aim and tossing the bag. It took him two tries, surprisingly. He blushed sheepishly when he missed the first time.

"Everyone has an off day," Katara said reassuringly. The booth keeper handed Zuko the lemur who, in turn, gave it to Zuko. The girl gave a small squeal and hugged it close. "Thank you, Zuko."

She placed the stuffed animal carefully in her bag, as though it were a treasured item. He began walking away again. "Come on," he said. "I want you to meet someone."

The Firebender led her to a small booth of merchandise, where necklaces, rings, and other assorted jewelries lay for sale. Beside those were cloth articles that were gorgeous by Katara's standards; they were hand made, she could tell. Zuko rapped on the table lightly with his knuckles. A familiar and warm face greeted his, and the boy placed one hand on the small of Katara's back.

"Good evening, Miss Karina," Zuko said, smiling. The woman smiled in returned. "Miss Karina, I want you to meet Katara. Katara, this is Karina. It was her idea to come here."

Karina gave the young Waterbender a warm smile. "it's a pleasure to meet you, Katara. Zuko is constantly talking about you," she said. Katara looked at the bashful Zuko in surprise.

"I hope it's good things," the girl laughed. "I can't imagine why he would talk about me so much."

Zuko bowed to the woman behind the counter. "Miss Karina, would you honor me with a dance?" he asked, holding his hand out. _Anything_, he thought,_ to get away from this subject_. He didn't want Katara to hear about his constant ramblings to Karina about the Water Tribe girl. Karina smiled and stepped around the table, taking Zuko's hand. The two walked away as the musicians started a new song, leaving Katara alone by the now unattended booth. She sighed and leaned against a post, watching the crowd.

"Hey," a voice called behind her. She felt a tap on her shoulder and the girl turned to find a young man, about as old as Sokka, smiling at her. His dark red-brown hair was spiky and wild, and blue eyes danced as he smiled at her. He held out his hand. "Care for a dance?"

Katara thought about it. Zuko hadn't told her to stay there or anything. She returned the man's playful smile and nodded, taking his hand and walking out to the open floor, where others danced and laughed. He took her hand in his and rested his other hand on the small of her back.

"We're gonna have to get real close, like this," the boy said.

The two began dancing and spinning wildly on the floor. "I don't know the steps!" Katara exclaimed.

"Neither do I! Just go with the flow!" the boy laughed as she tried to figure out what to do. _Go with the flow_, Katara thought._ I can do that._ The two spun and danced on the floor until they met up with Zuko and Karina, who were laughing and having fun just like everyone else. Katara almost forgot who Zuko was; he wasn't being a prince or a warrior like he usually was, but a regular teenager. Katara remembered the first time she saw Zuko, hiding like a scared kid behind Aang.

_"I've prepared for this day for years; meditating, training. And you're just a child."_

_"Well, you're just a teenager," Aang replied._

It reminded her that under everything, under the weight that Zuko felt on his body and crushed him, he was still a seventeen-year-old teenager. He had grown up in a hurry, and there were times where he was far more honorable above everyone else. But he was still living and he was still learning. He had made his mistakes, she knew all to well. He had betrayed her and taken everything she had offered him and thrown it in his face. But he had learned something from it, that much was obvious. She wondered if he had managed to forgive himself for it. Sometimes, she thought, it seemed like he hadn't forgiven himself for anything.

"Hey, Karina," Katara called. "You should try dancing with this guy, he's not too bad."

Karina smiled her warm smile and released Zuko, who stopped dancing. Katara and the young man holding her followed suit, and the woman was soon whisked away into the crowd, leaving the Fire Nation prince with the Water Tribe girl. He held out his hand to her, wordlessly, but with a small smile on his lips. Katara looked up at him.

"Can't we talk?" she asked, loud enough for him to hear over the dull roar of music and people. To her dismay, Zuko dropped his hand and slowly turned to walk away. Katara reached out a hand to him, but was held back by a group of people coming between the two. When the crowd dissipated, Zuko was nowhere to be seen.

She sighed for a moment before being swept up again by the young boy dancing in the crowd. He seemed so alive compared to Zuko; but the Fire Nation prince was alive in a different sense, she supposed. This young man who danced with her now in this festival, in this crazy party, was alive in a way that was dreamy and unrealistic. But this couldn't last forever, and Katara knew that. Zuko had his feet firmly planted on the ground, and he kept himself in his head. Katara admired this maturity the young man had managed to reach, but she was also constantly reminded that he was still a teenager.

Zuko let out a sigh and took a drink from the bottle in his hand. He leaned over the railing and watched as the festival began slowing down; it was late and he knew that people would start going home. He spotted a familiar Waterbender girl walking around on her own, simply watching the people. He wondered what kept her from running away; escape could be easily managed from where she was now. He was nowhere around and nothing would stop her, yet she simply walked around, as though looking for him in a way. The teenage boys he sat with on the roof were chattering about what they wanted to do, the young man who had danced with Katara was among them. Each time they offered him something, he simply said, "No." His mind was on the girl he was watching.

"I think I'm going to call it a night," Zuko said softly. He stood up. "See you guys later."

They all nodded and left him alone as he walked away, letting out a soft sigh as he left. Katara found a seat in the courtyard of the palace. It was a plain earthen bench, made out of stone like everything else. She sat there and thought about so many things; particularly how she felt. Not about anything in particular, just about how she felt in general. She thought about what her brother and Aang were doing now, and if they were thinking about her. She had made Aang promise to go on without her, whether he wanted to or not. He didn't need her now, she knew. He had mastered Waterbending quickly. And then she thought about Zuko. It made her laugh how similar he and Sokka were; both were incredibly stubborn, clueless about women, and hotheaded. And when she thought about it, the two of them had similar morals. But they had their differences. Zuko had grown and matured in a different way than the home-grown Sokka had. The prince was also a bit more well-mannered. Yet, unlike Sokka, Zuko struggled with what his heart told him and what his head told him.

But she thought about how she felt. She knew she liked Aang. She also knew Aang liked her; but he was only twelve. And he also seemed to show some feelings for Toph as well. But it was confusing for him, and she knew that. But Katara wasn't without her own confusion. She felt one way for Aang, but she felt something completely different, and yet exactly the same, for Zuko. He was Aang's complete opposite. Zuko was older, mature, and just different. He held a different air than Aang, and held high standards for himself. He patronized himself more than he did others, and he felt things differently. He saw a different world than Katara and Aang did. Katara wanted to see that world and she wanted to be a part of it. Yet she didn't want her world to change at all.

"You're awfully quiet for once," a familiar voice said behind her. She turned to find Zuko standing a few feet behind her. She sighed and turned her head back to its original position. Looking away from him, she played with a few strands of hair. He sat down beside her, but face the opposite direction. "You looked like you had fun tonight."

Katara nodded. "Well," she began. "I did. Thank you for taking me out tonight."

Zuko nodded and rested his elbows on his knees. A soft sigh escaped his lips and he glanced at the girl beside him. He nudged her and she glanced behind her in the direction he was pointing. "Look," he said softly.

She turned and gazed in the general direction. "Oh, they're fireflies," she said in a quiet, absent tone. Her eyes were directed at the small lightning bugs, but her mind wandered elsewhere. Zuko recognized that look, for it was one he wore more than often.

The young man nodded and folded his hands back together. "When I was a kid, I used to catch them and bring them inside to light my room up," he said. "But my mother would say, 'they deserve to be free, Zuko. And besides, your father would scold you if he found you brought fireflies into the palace.' So I would let them free."

He sighed again and gazed up at the star ridden sky. "Sometimes I still come out here, and I just sit here and think," he said. _That explains why he's always in bed so late_, Katara thought absently. "Hey, Katara, don't you sometimes wish…"

Katara sighed and looked away from him, unable to bring herself to gaze into those amber pools that melted her. The fact that he had simply said her _name_ sent shivers down her spine. "Zuko, don't," she said.

"No, wait, just listen to me for a minute," Zuko said quickly. He held his head in his hand. He had so much he wanted to say to her about _everything_. But the words just weren't coming out right; he just kept stumbling and tripping on his words, falling over them and embarrassing himself. "It's just…Katara, don't you sometimes wish that Aang hadn't barged in on us? That we had gone through with everything?"

"Zuko, stop it," Katara said, keeping her eyes averted. She stood up to move away from him, but he followed suit. "I don't. What happened, happened. There's nothing we can do to change that. I don't think about what could have happened or what might have happened."

The fact was, she had thought about it. She thought about all the what-ifs and their implications. But she had been betrayed by Zuko, yet not willing to change her opinions on the Fire Prince. She looked up at him, a feeling of sorrow filling her entire being. Once again they were close together, more so than either of them found comfortable. Yet…Zuko felt Katara's lips against his, her hands resting on his hips as she kissed him. The two of them became lost in the action. A gentle kiss felt wonderful on both their lips as the prince began deepening the kiss. The two suddenly broke apart as Zuko pushed her away.

"Katara, no," he said in a reluctant protest. "Just go."

Katara gazed up at him for a moment and he looked away. Both felt a burning desire to be together, but knew something was wrong with it. But then the girl did the most unexpected thing he ever though she would; she kissed him again. Zuko's eyes opened wide when her lips touched his, feeling her arms around his neck. It was a light , feathery touch, a simple brush of lips to lips. She then moved away from him, running away from the prince. Stunned, it took him a moment to get his head straight and follow her. The Waterbender girl ran through the palace and into the back courtyard, stopping at a pool of water that served as nothing more than decoration. She gazed at her distraught reflection in the moonlit water, wiping her tears away from her sapphire eyes. Hearing footsteps behind her, she swept her arms up, dragging water from the pool up with them, guarding herself.

'Katara, I—" Zuko began.

"Zuko, no. You said yourself…Zuko you said yourself, we were not to be," Katara said softly. Tears streaked her face, glistening in the silver moonlight.

"I know what I said," Zuko snapped angrily. A small burst of flame blew out from his hands as they balled into fists, dissolving into the cool air. "I know what I said. I don't know how I feel about you or whatever. Seeing you like this kills me and eats me up from the inside out. I don't know why I feel like this. All I know is that it's your fault!"

"My fault?!" Katara said, deeply offended. "My fault? How is this all my fault? I don't control your stupid feelings. I don't even know how to control my own right now!"

"You know what? I—" Zuko took a step toward her, and Katara's hands flung out reflexively. Water hit his ankles like a whip and he fell forward. She would think that the look on his face was classic, if it weren't for the fact that he grabbed her and both fell headfirst into the pool of cold water. The Firebender boy broke the surface of the water, coughing, having inhaled a good amount. He had shifted his weight so he hit the water first, cushioning Katara as much as he could. Her elbow had jammed into his stomach and he gasped under the water, filling his lungs. He glared at the Water Tribe girl as she came up as well, a small grin on her smug face. The water went up to his stomach, and to her chest, he noticed. Was she always that small? "What was _that_ for?"

"What are you talking about?" she asked innocently.

"Dunking me in!"

"I'm sorry, I just meant to keep you at bay, since you can't seem to control yourself. _You're _the one who fell and took me with you!" she replied heatedly. Zuko's scowl only deepened.

"Now we're wet. Great."

"I can bend the water out, it's no big deal."

Zuko sighed, a weary look slowly draining the fire that had lit up his face. For a moment a quiet smile flickered on his face and then faded. Katara felt another tear fall from her eyes with the water that moistened her skin. She looked at him and took his sleeve with both hands.

"What?"

Katara looked up at this quiet man who simply pushed her aside each time she felt as though she were finally safe in his presence. "When I see your smile, I just feel so sad because it lasts for only a moment," she said softly. "Zuko, I know you don't think that…that I'm good enough for you, or something, or that we can't…but I know that I can be the one."

Her index finger wound around his and she looked up at him with sad eyes. "I will never let you fall. I'll stand up with you forever. I'll be there for you through it all, even if saving you sends me to Heaven," she said quietly. She looked down, leaning her forehead against his chest. Tears ran down her cheeks now, and quiet sobs shook her slender shoulders. Zuko was surprised at her words, gazing down at her small form against him. Water swirled around both of them and it felt so cold…yet this figure was so warm to him. He touched her shoulders and tilted her head up. Water dripped from her bangs and streamed down her face, mixing with the salty tears.

"Katara I…" he began softly. He sighed and then bent down, pressing his lips against hers. She felt so fragile in his arms, that he thought the smallest mistake with her might shatter her to pieces. He pulled away. "Now we're even for earlier."

He waded over to the edge and heaved himself out. "Katara, I've made so many mistakes. I have nothing for you, in your future," Zuko said softly. "I have nothing. Nothing at all."

"You have experience. You've learned haven't you? From those mistakes?" Katara asked, pulling herself out. She bent the water from his clothes first then hers. Zuko looked away.

"Experience is only a name we give our mistakes."

He began walking away, disappearing into the palace.

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_GAH! I FINALLY FINISHED! D I'm so happy. I know it's early for them to be so…intimate. But the time span between this chapter and chapter two is a couple of weeks, so she's been with him for about a month now, I want to say. This is going to be a relatively short story with less than ten chapters, I guarantee that. Sorry if Zuko seemed a little OOC for a bit. The ending words Katara says about being with Zuko are from The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus's "Your Guardian Angel" song. I was listening to it as I wrote this and thought it fit one of the two at least. I've used Oscar Wilde quotes for the past two chapters…I need to switch. But Oscar Wilde is so great. D_

_Read and review._


	4. IV On the Other Hand

_**Sukoshi No Shiawase**_

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Avatar: the Last Airbender characters._

_NOTE (hint, hint people; read this): I KNOW I USED RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS AT THE END OF THE LAST CHAPTER! I put a note at the end of the third chapter. D: Please read my notes…you may get a good laugh out of it and things just might make sense (even a little). By the way, less serious quotes will start introducing the chapters (like the one introducing this chapter)._

_Thank you to Liger, who has been incredibly supportive of my writing on this particular story. His nice comments and criticism has kept me up and going. Thanks a lot, Liger (by the way, more kissing yet to come…and not all of them are Zuko and Katara! Hinthint)! And to Cathy: ….I can write dramatically because…most likely…I watch too many romance things.  
_

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**IV. Choices**

"**On the other hand, you have different fingers."**

**-Jack Handey**

Over the years, Zuko had come to realize something that he had never taken into account before; he was absolutely horrible about making choices. Well, it wasn't that he was horrible at deciding (for Zuko had never been an indecisive person in the least bit, and he found it rather insulting to think that he was), but rather that he made incredibly bad decisions. One of them, though simply a few steps above the bottom of the list, was falling into the pool with that damn Waterbender girl; the result wasn't something exactly pleasant in his opinion. Said result was the Fire Nation prince waking up at Agni knew what hour and leaning out the window so he could spew his guts out, rather than throwing chunks across his room and asking a currently grumpy Katara to clean it up for him. By the time he finished chucking his half-digested dinner out the window and into the garden below, he felt the effects of a rather bad head cold, or perhaps a mild version of the flu. Either way, his head was fuzzy, and he found it relatively hard to control his temperature as he usually could (or was he mistaking that for his _temper_?).

At that moment, it didn't much matter to Zuko whether it was his temper or temperature he couldn't control, since both were on a steady rise. He was starting to see doubles of everything as he stumbled across his room to the door. He laid a pale hand on the door and stopped to think about it (finding it very hard to do so, for he could feel his pulse in his brain, and it wasn't the most comfortable feeling). Visiting the infirmary would mean seeing Ty Lee, which would lead to awkward questions from the circus girl, which would lead to an awkward story he would have most likely made up on the spot (in which case, would poorly hide the fact that he was in the middle of a very confusing semi-romantic relationship with a girl who was supposed to be his servant/prisoner, not his snogging buddy). Said "snogging buddy" was currently sleeping in the room connected to his by the door on the adjacent wall.

Zuko's simplicity instinct told him that seeing said snogging buddy was better than having to face Ty Lee and her army of awkward questions.

On the other hand (in other words, the other side of the door) Katara was anything but asleep. Her thoughts had wandered aimlessly, and most shamelessly about Zuko. Why had he so pushed her away the way he did? Was there something undesirable about her? She agreed that she wasn't without flaws, but neither was Zuko. He had, after all, betrayed her so…straightforwardly. But perhaps in the context of rescuing her from her imminent fate in the dungeon, he had hoped to redeem himself, and thus, make things "even" between them. But she could not keep denying that she hadn't grown fond of him—that would be a most dreadful lie on her part. That was her choice, and when she confessed (had that really been a confession? Or was it more of a statement? Katara couldn't' tell), he had made his choice to push her away once more. The one thing she wasn't ready for was for Zuko to walk away and then act as though she didn't exist for the rest of the night.

The music box on her side table clicked, and, abruptly, the soft tune stopped.

For a moment, she thought she heard someone retching in Zuko's room, but she couldn't be sure. After all, it could be a drunkard blowing chunks from the earlier festival (held for an honor Katara simply had not grasped; but then again, there were a lot a of things she hadn't quite gotten, the festival being one step above the bottom of her list). But then the sour smell of bile hit her nose, drifting from some unknown place nearby, and the girl came to realize that perhaps it wasn't a drunkard at all. In spite of herself, the young girl was worried for the Prince next door to her, and quickly yanked the door open, only to have an incredibly hot (meant in more ways than one of course) Zuko fall into her arms. The surprised look quickly vanished and was replaced by genuine concern as she felt his skin burning through his cotton clothing.

"Zuko." His name slipped between her lips like water, and it soothed him. The teenaged girl heaved the boy back into his room and helped him back onto his bed. Her first thought was cooling him off somehow, and the second occurred to her moments later.

She had to remove his clothes.

Blushing madly, she agreed only the essentials; a.k.a. she would only remove his shirt. She removed the cloth from him, dragging it over his head and examining his scar-riddled torso. His muscles quirked under her fingertips as she lightly ran them across a few of the sheet-thin slashes that ran across his stomach and chest. She forced herself out of thought and into reality, fetching a small towel and dumping water on it, using her bending skills to blow on it gently to make it cold. When the cloth touched his pale flesh, he groaned softly.

"C-cold…" he mumbled.

"I know, but I have to get your temperature down now," Katara said, wiping his torso with it and dabbing his forehead. "Don't Firebenders have some skill they can do with their body temperature?" she asked as she mopped him down. The prince shook his head and then regretted the action, for his head simply began pulsing harder and dots and stars popped in front of his eyes.

"Can't…head's too…damn fuzzy…" he mumbled. The way he broke up his sentences would have been funny to Katara, had it not been for the fact that Zuko was in current need of immediate care. His temperature was on a steep rise, and the Waterbender couldn't figure out a way to cool him down. All she could do was simply mop him down and pray that it helped.

In the long run, it did (and Katara was glad, despite her feelings about the previous night and their little argument). Zuko had fallen into a deep slumber, and it surprised her that his breathing barely roused the blankets on him. She sat beside the low cot and rested her head beside his, sometimes jerking awake to a sore neck, for she had fallen asleep at an odd angle against the bed. But that could not be helped; she had barely gotten any sleep at all, for she spent most of the night caring for the ill prince, making sure that he retched in the garbage rather than out the window and on top of some unwitting passerby's head.

And the day passed slowly—painfully so for both of them. Zuko's temperature dropped slowly until reaching a little above normal and soon he could sit up without falling over or spewing into the garbage beside him. Once again, he became a bristling teenager, eager to leave bed—but the man within was even more eager to leave the room so that he might rid himself of the thoughts he was currently having. But that was how it was; though he could sit up, standing became work that he never thought it would be, and he felt idiotic whenever he stood just to fall back into bed, his world spinning and Katara's face swimming in and out of his vision.

The girl would fuss over him as though she were his sister (well, the sister Azula most certainly wasn't) and he would bristle whenever she moved his hair away from his face to feel his forehead or warn him with a quiet, "Zuko…" However, for most of the day, the girl sat and folded paper. As the night began falling, Zuko became bored, and more so than he had for the day. Katara sat by his bed and was folding her paper skillfully, yet carefully, by the light of the candles lining the walls, and the lantern on the bedpost. The Firebender examined it carefully, as though interested, trying to keep his eyes off the girl beside him as she folded one thing after another. Carefully tracing the edges of the lantern with his fingers, he spoke, soft as ever.

"What are you doing?"

Katara seemed startled, and lost her track in the middle of her routine folding, as though interrupted during a sacred ceremony. Resuming her posture and continuing the several folds, she said, "I'm folding paper cranes, silly."

"Why?"

The girl rolled her eyes. "Isn't it a custom of yours or something? Like folding a thousand of them will bring good luck and good health or something," she replied, finishing another crane and setting it down. She picked up another square of colorful paper and began folding in an expertly fashion. Zuko's eyes watched her with an interest as she folded the paper over and over until a crane developed.

"Who told you that?" he asked, finding his voice.

Katara set the crane down and folded her hands on her lap, looking up at him. "Ty Lee did. I ran into her and she knew I was your 'personal servant.' She asked how you were doing," she said softly. "And I told her you had the flu…it was nothing really. She didn't recognize me…I think."

Zuko shook his head, and he knew she thought he would be mad at her. She was supposed to avoid the circus girl as much as possible, should she be recognized. Dealing with Azula was not at the top of either of their priority lists. He let out a soft sigh and leaned on his elbow in bed.

"Do you actually believe that?" he asked.

Katara bobbed her head in a bemused way. "I think it's nice—it certainly occupies a person to an extent," she said. After a moment she picked up another piece of colourful paper and began folding it. "And I think it's a nice story."

"But do you believe it?"

Katara paused in the middle of her work and allowed her eyes to connect to his for just a moment. "I think it's important to believe a little of it. I don't think I'll ever get to one thousand—but it's a story to give hope," she answered. Zuko's eyes traveled around the room, to all the cranes that now decorated his once relatively bare room. They littered the shelves and the bedposts and a few sat expectantly on the windowsill, as though waiting for something.

"How many have you made so far?" he question hesitantly.

"One hundred and three," Katara replied with the same hesitance, her voice merely a whisper. Zuko stared at her in disbelief before doubling over. For a moment Katara though he was sick again and she became alarmed. Quickly leaning over to him, she placed her hand on his shaking shoulders. "Zuko?"

A muffled sound came from him and he picked up his head, a laugh escaping his lips. His amber eyes closed and he gasped for air. Katara looked at him in an offended way as he continued in his fit. "I wasn't aware I said anything funny, Zuko."

The Prince smiled at her and calmed down, resting his chin in his palm. "Sorry," he said. "You must have gotten really bored watching me. I'm sorry. But a hundred and three?"

Katara shook her head. "Jeeze…sorry for needing something to do while you were sleeping and randomly spewing," she said in an irritated fashion. Zuko shook his head and smiled his wry smile. In an attempt to change the subject, she brushed her fingers over a few of the scars—and the fresh cuts—that marred his pale skin. "What are these from?"

Fear washed over the boy, but he hid it and casually brushed her hand away. "Sword practice. Some of the fighters here are pretty good—I figured I should take some time to practice," he said, trying not to sound defensive. Did she know? He couldn't let her know.

Katara had her suspicions, but she took his reasons for hiding the true cause of the scars as his own, and did not press any further about it. "They look like they hurt," she said finally. He shrugged his broad shoulders and gazed down at his skin. "If you want, I can—"

"I can lick them better if I have to," he answered curtly, turning away. "I'm used to it."

Katara sighed and took his arm with gentle hands, her moist lips pressing close to his skin. She blew cool air onto the cuts and they began healing before his eyes. Zuko drew his arm out of her grasp before they could finish. "I told you, I'm fine," he said, his voice becoming cold. She drew away from him and sighed deeply before standing.

"Okay, Zuko," she said softly. "If you say so."

Katara turned away from the young Firebender, who kept his eyes lowered. His gaze avoided hers as she glanced back one last time before sadly walking out into the hall. The door clicked shut with an air of finality behind her. For a moment, Zuko simply sat there, processing information. His skin tingled where her lips had touched the pale flesh. But there were things he could be—or rather should be—doing instead of moping around in bed. His head was spinning, and he felt his mind reeling with endless thoughts. Thoughts of Katara—they filled his head like a disease, eating him alive and killing him.

"Katara…"

Katara leaned against the door, biting back tears and sorrow all at once. She moved away from that sad place and slowly made her way down the corridors—there was nothing for her to do, nothing to take her mind of this sorrow and this sadness…

"Zuzu?" a soft voice asked.

"What?" Katara turned to find a familiar face gazing at her from behind a pillar. "T-Ty Lee…"

"Oh, it's just you," the girl said. The Waterbender took a step back cautiously; Ty Lee, in all her childish ways, was still a force to be reckoned with. Katara wasn't in any mood to be paralyzed, and most certainly not in the mood to deal with Ty Lee and her silly games. The Water Tribe girl quickly wiped her eyes before Ty Lee came too close, attempting to hide herself before she was found.

"Can I help you, Miss Ty Lee?" Katara asked, straining to retain the subservient maid-voice.

Ty Lee turned to Katara, her eyes settling on the girl and, much to Katara's surprise, said, "Oh, spare me." Katara was shocked with the tone of voice—had Ty Lee always been like this? No, that couldn't be…the girl continued. "I was going to wait until Zuzu came out, but I have something to say to you, too."

Ty Lee took a step toward Katara. "I know who you are—you're that Water Tribe girl who travels with the Avatar. You tried to hide it by cutting your hair…but it didn't work," she said, a small smirk playing on her lips. "It seems you've developed a…bond with Zuzu. But just what are you to him?"

Katara stiffened at Ty Lee's striking words. _What…what am I to Zuko? _Just what was she to him? Sometimes, she seemed little more than a friend, or an acquaintance. Then, in other instances…there was something more. Or was she looking into it too deeply? Was she just his plaything? Katara bit her lip and kept her thoughts to herself.

"If you don't want me to call Azula…then stay away from Zuzu. You're an eyesore," Ty Lee said, her eyes glinting. "After all, Katara….I am his _fiancée_."

At this, Katara's eyes widened. Fiancée? _Fiancée?_ When did this happen? The girl's eyes dulled slightly as Ty Lee walked past her. That's right, Katara remembered. _We're not in love. There's no "us". We're not dating. We're not…anything._ "No."

A single word escaped her lips, but Ty Lee had already gone. _No. I have to find Zuko and talk to him about this. There has to be some sort of reason, some explanation!_ The girl quickly turned around, heading back to the room.

Zuko slammed his door behind him as he left his quarters. Things were beyond control for him—he had to find Katara. He needed to apologize to her. What had he done…? He turned on his heel (regretting the move shortly after), only to find Ty Lee poking her head out of his doorway. The girl smiled and came bounding up to him in her joyous way. "Are you feeling better, Zuzu?" she asked, taking his hand. The boy nodded averting his eyes away from her. She smiled and nodded. "That's good to know! Azula wouldn't be so happy to hear that you were sick or anything."

"I'm sure," Zuko mumbled, making no attempts to hide his sarcasm. Ty Lee, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice too much. At least, she didn't notice his sarcasm—her attention lay elsewhere as she spotted a certain Waterbender round the corner. Zuko continued walking down the hallway, his amber eyes searching endlessly for Katara.

"Hey, Zuzu…"

"What do—" Zuko's sentence was cut off as Ty Lee wrapped her arms around his neck. He hunched down slightly as he was forced to bend over, his lips connecting firmly with hers. It was by no means, anything to him—he was rather used to her forceful nature when it came to her wanting a kiss from him. That was simply nothing new. What he was unprepared for was the stifled gasp that reached his ears.

He pulled away from the passionless kiss he was somewhat sharing with Ty Lee, to find a rather…well, there was no word to describe her features—"horrified" would have negative connotations, while "sad", or "upset", or "shocked" wouldn't serve it justice. Katara simply buried her face in her hands and turned and ran. Zuko released a pleased Ty Lee and gave chase—his heart pounding, and his head screaming. _Oh, Agni…please…_

He caught her—he knew all too well where she would go. Kneeling by the ponds as usual. Her form was hunched over, her gaze in the pool. His head was spinning from the run, and his thoughts were becoming fuzzy again. "Katara…Katara, listen to me I—" Zuko cut his sentence short as the younger girl turned to look at him. She swatted away his hand as she stood up.

"You don't really worry about me, do you, Zuko?" she snapped. Her face was as flushed as his, but for different reasons. "It doesn't matter! I'm strong. She tells me to stay away from you, and she calls me an eyesore, Zuko! And you're so willing to be fooled by that playful, naïve act!"

"Katara, I…Ty Lee would never say anything like that!" Zuko protested firmly. "I've known her forever. She wouldn't ever…"

"Don't say that!" Katara shouted angrily. "I'm nothing to you! And Ty Lee is you _fiancée_."

Zuko stopped talking for a moment and gazed at the girl before him. No—of course Katara wasn't a girl anymore. A woman. A strong woman stood before him, ready to take him on at a moment's notice. And yet…she was still only a girl. Confused and lost, at that. Zuko shook his head slowly and stepped forward, grabbing Katara's wrist. "Do you want to know what you are to me? Exactly what you are?" he asked fiercely.

"I'm nothing to you."

"That's where you're wrong, Katara," Zuko said, his voice growing soft. He let go of her. "Go, Katara. You're free to go. Leave! Get out while you still can. Don't…don't let them find you—go back to your people! You're safe there. Safe from the Fire Nation…safe from Azula…safe from…" he swallowed and took a step away from her, his face contorted with that same pained expression he wore the first day he saw her. "Safe from me, Katara."

* * *

_And I shall leave it hanging there for now. My apologies for the OOC Ty Lee. That's the only way I could fit her in…originally, she wasn't going to be part of the storyline at all, but I thought that would be…kind of weird. Aang and Sokka haven't even made appearances yet! DX How sad is that? Well, in the next couple of chapters, more characters will show up, so it won't be so much wishy-washy romance/drama anymore._

_I'm so sad that I couldn't finish this before Season III came out! I'm so sorry that some of this will probably be out of what's going on now! DON'T SPOIL ME PLEASE! I haven't seen any of it…I feel really bad…well, that's what alternate universes are for, right? Ha, ha._

_Thank you so much for reading!_


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